Improvement in fire-extinguishers



T. D. PENNINGTON.

Fire- ExtinguishersL N0,]57 2]7, Patented Nov-24,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS PENNINGTON, OF FORSYTH, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR T0 MEEK, rENNmeToN & FLETCHER, or SAME rLAoE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,217, dated November 24, 1874; application filcd September 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS D. PENNING- TON, of Forsyth, in the county of Monroe and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of fireextinguishers in which one or more watertanks are arranged in a building, and communicate with perforated pipes or sprinklers, so that when valves are opened in the bottom of the tanks the water therein will pass into and through the sprinklers to extinguish the fire; and the nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a device for automatically opening the tank-valves by the action of the fire itself which it is intended or designed to extinguish, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a vertical section of a fire-extinguisher of the class described, with a side view of my operating device connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a section of the operating device through the line 00 m, Fig. 1. A represents a water-tank, connected, by a pipe, B, with a perforated pipe or sprinkler, G, which may be arranged in any desired or suitable manner. In the bottom of the tank A, opening into the pipe B, is a valve, or, which is connected, by a rod, 1), with one end of a pivoted lever, D, from the other end of which is suspended a weight, E. This weight should be sufficiently heavyto overbalance and raise the valve a, no matter how much water is in the tank, as soon as the weight is liberated.

The device for automatically opening the valve a is constructed substantially as follows: G G represent two metallic blocks of suitable size. The block G is fastened to the wall, or in' any place where fire would be most likely to occur, and from this block project two pins, d d, which pass through holes in the block G, and this block G is placed on said pins close up to and against the block G. In the adjoining surfaces of the blocks G G, or in one only, is formed a cavity, e, which is filled with powder, and into the same leads a fuse, f, through a groove or channel in one or both of the blocks. Another groove is also made in one or both of the blocks for the passage of a rod or wire, h, which has a head or enlargement, c, at its lower end, so that it cannot pass upward when the blocks are in position. The upper end of the rod or wire h is attached to one end of a pivoted lever, H, the other end of which supports the weight E in such a position that the valve to in the tank will remain closed.

In case of outbreak of fire the fuse f will become ignited and explode the charge in the cavity 0, thereby forcibly throwing the block G off of the pins d d from the block G. This instantaneously releases the rod or wire h, so as to allow the lever H to turn on its pivot and drop the Weight E, which, in falling, lilts the valve a. The water in the tank at once passes into the sprinkler and onto the fire, to extinguish the same.

Any number of tanks may be used, having their valves so connected that they will all be opened simultaneously.

Though this device is specially designed for gin-houses, to extinguish any fire that may occur in the lint-room, it may be used in buildings of any character.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the grooved blocks G G,

With pins 01 d and cavity 0, the fuse f, rod h, with head i, and the pivoted lever H, all arranged in connection with a fire-extinguishing apparatus of the character herein described, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOS. D. PENNINGTON.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. OoBANIss, WM. L. LAMPKIN. 

